APTA MN’s second annual “Move & Groove” 5k was a smashing success with nearly 100 runners on a beautiful Sunday morning. Special thanks to our sponsors Fix It PT, (Silver), Career Tree Network and Tria (Bronze) as well as Joni Purrington (Med Tent) and EA Therapeutics (Water break).
In addition to our sponsors, attendees at our APTA MN “How to work with runners” CE course were available to help participants with warm up, cool down, injury prevention and first aid.
It was an absolutely beautiful Saturday morning at the Acorn Picnic shelter in the Elm Creek Park Reserve – Maple Grove, MN. Our amazing volunteers showed up bright and early at 7am to begin set-up for the new first annual Move & Groove 5K, fueled by a hot cup of Caribou Coffee donated by the local “The Grove” Caribou. The volunteers worked quickly to get signs, tables, snacks and shirts ready for the energetic participants that started to arrive at 8am. After getting checked in and donning their bright orange shirts, the excitement was building for the 5K runners and walkers. Tiffany Vreeman, from On-Site Solutions PT, lead the warm-up at 8:45am, helping participants wake their muscles for the miles that were ahead of them. Rachel Winthrop, our fabulous MC, welcomed the racers and got things started promptly at 9am! With the runners off and music pumping, the volunteers and spectators cheered them on as the last participant fell from view.
Congratulations to Torrey Kraftson who was the first male and overall winner of the Move & Groove 5K, 2023! 2nd and 3rd place went to Craig Schwartz and Jake Halmrast. The first female finisher was Rana Jaszczak with Jennifer Biggs and Jill Denker following in 2nd and 3rd. OPTP had some fabulous prizes waiting for the top 3 male and female finishers – gift bags, foam rollers and gift certificates. Thank you OPTP for your donation!
After finishing the 3.1 miles, runners and walkers were able to cool down with a delicious JonnyPop and other refreshments! Participants, volunteers, and spectators also had the opportunity to connect with exhibitors Moms in Motion PT and Sanford Health, plus a chance to visit with APTA MN members Corrine Meisel PT (Membership Committee Co-Chair), Krista Mitchell (PT PAC), and Cole Birch SPT (SSIG Co-Chair).
Virtual race participants, Jackie Lacek, PTA and Regina Landrus, PT (Team from Hendricks Big Stone Therapies), also finished the 5K in Ivanhoe, MN on Saturday morning!
Gold Sponsor
Highland Bank
Silver Sponsor
On-Site Solutions PT
Bronze Sponsor
TRIA and Career Tree Network
Exhibitors- Sanford Health and Moms in Motion PT
Med Tent Sponsor- Joan Purrington (Tom McConville- Volunteer First Aid Provider)
Food Donation- JonnyPops and “The Grove” Caribou
Top Finisher Prizes Donation- OPTP
Thank you 5K Committee: Melissa Gill DPT, OSSPT Owner/CEO; Joan Purrington PT, MA, DPT; Katie Malotky, PT, DPT; and Alyssa Stapleton, SPT – for putting together a great race!
And thank you volunteers for your work on race day and helping the morning go smoothly!
